Red over Black: Black Slavery among the Cherokee Indians

It is easily understood why Cherokee owners were indulgent in giving
their slaves time to attend religious services. Moreover, some slaves attended
church to interpret for masters who did not speak English.

Some Cherokees, even slaveowners, resisted the efforts of the missionaries, however. One was Drowning Bear (Yonaguska), a chief who resisted
every persuasion to emigrate west and was suspicious of Christianity. He
refused to allow the Scriptures to be read to his people until he had first
heard them. After hearing one or two chapters of the Book of Matthew,
the chief remarked, "Well, it, seems to be a good book--strange that the
white people are not better, after having had it so long."41

The Methodists made the last large-scale mission effort among the
Cherokees and they experienced the quickest success. In one year's time
they converted 189 Indians and 63 black slaves.42 John Ross was one of
that number.

F. A. Michaux, "Travels to the West of the Allegheny Mountains
in the States of Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee," in
Ruben Gold Thwaites, Early Western Travels ( Cleveland: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 1904- 1907), vol. 18, p. 28.

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